Every year, around 6.3 million companion animals are surrendered to animal shelters in the United States. (Of those, around 3.1 million are dogs, and approximately 3.2 million are cats).
And while the numbers appear to be enormous, they are actually becoming smaller. According to some estimates, the number of dogs and cats entering shelters in the United States each year has decreased from roughly 7.2 million in 2011. Another important statistic to note is that each year, around 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted, and 810,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners.
We have gathered some most gorgeous rescue animal photographs that we found on the internet, to demonstrate what a difference a second chance at life and loving home can make to a critter. So, keep scrolling down to have a peek at these aww-dorable rescued images!
This Man Was Forced To Give His Dog To The Humane Society Due To Undergoing Lengthy Hospital Stay. This Nurse Found Out And Immediately Went To The Shelter And Adopted His Dog. She Brings Him To Visit Daily And Will Return Him As Soon As The Man Is Released!
Since we’ve already slipped into our cozy sweaters, hoodies, and jackets, it’s time to talk about how animals survive the cold.
We called the PDSA, the UK’s premier vet charity, to find more about how they do it. If anyone can tell us anything about animal welfare, it’s these people. Every year, the organization’s 48 hospitals’ dedicated personnel work relentlessly to give 2.7 million veterinary treatments, including 440,000 preventative treatments. This benefits around 470,000 well-loved pets and gives 300,000 owners peace of mind.
“Unlike our own pets, stray animals may struggle to find shelter from cold and rainy weather in the winter,”
PDSA Vet Lynne James told: “They may also struggle to find enough food and water to keep them healthy.”
Meet Finley. He Followed Me Home On A Night I Was Sad And Feeling Especially Lonely. Then He Walked Right Inside Like He Owned My House. (I Did Check For A Chip And Officially Adopted Him From His Feral Cat Agency.) Everyone Says He Chose Me.
Bartolito The Day He Was Rescued vs. ~3 Weeks~ Later.
This Cecil. I Adopted Him Through The Starbucks Drive Thru. The Customer Showed Me A Passenger Seat Full Of Kittens And Said “Do You Want A Kitten?” And I Said “Absolutely I Do”. I Took The Kitten, Put Him In My Apron Pocket, And Asked To Go Home Early. Cecil Is Now Six.
Rough weather and the additional challenges that it brings also aren’t helping anyone. James said that, “Cats and dogs can’t catch colds from humans (and we can’t catch colds from them), but they can suffer from different infections that cause similar symptoms.”
“For cats, a runny nose and sneezing could be signs of ‘cat flu,’ a condition which can involve several different cat-specific viruses. Cat flu can make your cat feel generally unwell and there may be other signs such as ulcers on the tongue or eye problems.”
My Black Kitten I Adopted Last Week Looks Like She Has “White Eyeliner” On Her Eyes.
Rescued Is Horrific Condition Severely Emaciated With Wide Open Sores On Her Back Legs This Girl Has Been Adopted And Is Living Her Best Life.
“Kennel cough is a very contagious respiratory disease in dogs that causes a high-pitched cough that can be made worse by activity,” the vet explained. “Most dogs don’t feel generally unwell with kennel cough but some can get a runny nose or weepy eyes and they can go off their food.”
Training your eye to recognize these signs can serve as a valuable tool to in maintaining your little companion’s well-being. “Although not life-threatening, it is important to get your pets treated. Kennel cough may go away on its own but if dogs are still coughing after a few days then owners should seek veterinary advice. Coughing, sneezing and a runny nose can sometimes be caused by more serious issues and so it is a good idea to speak to your vet if you are concerned.”
My Friend Just Adopted An 18 Year Old Cat Named Cat.
I Think I Accidentally Adopted A Dragon. She Thinks It’s Her Job To Hoard And Guard Anything Shiny.
A Sicko Tied A Rock To This Dog & Threw Him On A Frozen River. Dog Is Rescued & Found A Good Home.
“After seeing a vet, who will prescribe any necessary medication and check nothing more serious is going on, pets should have a quiet, warm and comfy place where they can rest and recover,” Lynne James said.
“Owners should encourage their pets to eat and drink, especially if they are unwell. For cats suffering from cat flu, owners can place them in a very steamy room like the bathroom to help to clear out their noses a few times a day. Dogs with kennel coughs should be kept calm as barking and excitement can make their cough worse. They should also be kept away from other dogs until they are no longer coughing.”
James added: “Cats and dogs should have yearly vaccinations, which will help prevent or lessen the symptoms of diseases like cat flu and kennel cough,”
“It is important to know that kennel cough can be caught wherever dogs congregate such as parks or at training classes – not just kennels!”
My Foster’s Adoption Profile Has Zero Views After A Week…. Why Does Nobody Want Her??
Found This Absolute Unit Living Underneath A Pallet At Work.
Meet The New Rescues: Lulu, Luna, And Nana.
He Finally Trusts Me Enough To Sleep In My Hands.
I’ve Applied To Adopt This Stray, One-Eyed Fiv Cat.
Since Adopting This Sweet Boy 2 Weeks Ago, Our Lives Have Been Exponentially Better.
4 Y/O Rescue And His 5 M/O Best Bud. Totally Inseparable Since Day 1.
Rescued From A Shelter Where He Was Scheduled For Euthanasia. Now He Is My Happy, Snuggly Best Friend. My Sweet Boy, Macaroni.
Mister, a 30 pound chonky cat, is up for adoption at Michigan Humane.
When I Adopted Her, I Made It My Aim To See This Smile As Often As Possible.
This Is Juniper, A Super Happy Rescue Fox!
Just Adopted These Bonded Babies Thursday… Crying.
Vet Told Us The Stray We Adopted Wasn’t Pregnant, So This Was Quite The Surprise Last Night!.
Just Rescued This Handsome Man. His Name Is Appa.
One Of My Saddest Beginning Rescue Cases. This Senior Declawed Girl Was Living In A Hotel Storm Drain Starving. As Soon As I Got The Call, I Rushed There. She Had To Be Sedated And Shaved, As Seen In The Before Photo Due To Matting. She Was So Thin.
My Bonus Mom Rescued A Pirate Pitty So Her Other Pitty Could Have A Friend. Meet Remy!
His Adoption Fee Was Discounted Because He Only Has 3 Legs.
Adopted 2 Pups From The Spca And Caught Them Holding Paws Comforting Each Other.
The Power Of Rescue! I Rescue Animals. This Is Pearl The Day I Got Her, And Her Today In Her Forever Home!
His Name Is Zorba, He Has Behavioral Issues Due To Abandonment And Bad Shelter Experience, I Adopted Him. He’s Coming Home Today.
Lemon Before And After Adoption.
My Husband Developed A Fever And Our Rescue Lab Mix Daisy, Won’t Leave His Side. She’s Even Been Sleeping With Her Head On His Head.
Rescued This Handsome Yelly Void After He’d Been Coming To My Door For Two Weeks (Getting Him Checked For A Microchip At The Vet)
Less Than 24 Hours After I Found Her Getting Into My Trash.. Brought This Pretty Girl To The Vet, And We’re Adopting Her. Shadow Says Hello!
My GF Got Toby For $5 At A Rescue. Best $5 Ever Spent.
My Wife And I Adopted These Two Goobers In 2020. Sienna (Back) And Miho.
After A Year Of Feeding, Spoiling And Small Cautious Head Pats, She Has Finally Adopted Me. Help Me Name This Sweet Thing.
One Of The Two Cats We’ve Adopted, It Was Her First Time Outside.
My Old Man Brody, Rescued Him After Being Returned 2 Times. He Must Have Been Waiting For Me Because He’s Been The Best Dog. We Have Been Threw A Lot Together, He’s My Rock And Loves Wearing Hats!
Adopted Little Miss Freya Last Weekend. 1.3 Lbs Of Love.
Just Adopted My First Hippo. He Gets Compliments On How Good He Looks From Strangers On Every Walk.
Sumi(Tabby) & Waka. Adopted Together And They Were Golden. We Sadly Lost Waka A Year Ago And This Was The Best Picture Of Them Together.
The Day Before Adoption And 11 Months Later 1 More Month Until Gotcha Day.
Before And After 2 Years Of Being Rescued.
My Wife Just Rescued This Baby Tonight. She’d Been Outside For A Few Days In Sub Zero Temps, Abandoned By Our Old Neighbors And We Weren’t Sure She’d Make It Another Night. Glad To Bring Her In And Warm Her Up!
BF And I Adopted This Sweet Girl Last Week From A Coworker Who Had To Rehome Her! Meet Kali Our Wonderful 9 Month Old Chocolate Lab!
Rescued This Poor Fella From A Neglect Situation Last Night. Hoping I Can Bring Him Back To Good Health!
Which compiled picture caught your attention the most? Let us know in the comments section below.